St. Patrick’s Day is coming -

March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day.

The person who was to become St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born in Wales about AD 385. His given name was Maewyn, and he almost didn't get the job of bishop of Ireland because he lacked the required scholarship.

Far from being a saint, until he was 16, he considered himself a pagan. At that age, he was sold into slavery by a group of Irish marauders that raided his village. During his captivity, he became closer to God.

He escaped from slavery after six years and went to Gaul where he studied in the monastery under St. Germain, Bishop of Auxerre for a period of twelve years. During his training he became aware that his calling was to convert the pagans to Christianity.

His wishes were to return to Ireland, to convert the native pagans to Christianity. But his superiors instead appointed St. Palladius. But two years later, Palladius transferred to Scotland. Patrick, having adopted that Christian name earlier, was then appointed as second bishop to Ireland.

Patrick was quite successful at winning converts. And this fact upset the Celtic Druids. Patrick was arrested several times, but escaped each time. He traveled throughout Ireland, establishing monasteries across the country. He also set up schools and churches which would aid him in his conversion of the Irish country to Christianity.

His mission in Ireland lasted for thirty years. After that time, Patrick retired to County Down. He died on March 17 in AD 461. That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since.

Much Irish folklore surrounds St. Patrick's Day. Not much of it is actually substantiated.

Some of this lore includes the belief that Patrick raised people from the dead. He also is said to have given a sermon from a hilltop that drove all the snakes from Ireland. Of course, no snakes were ever native to Ireland, and some people think this is a metaphor for the conversion of the pagans. Though originally a Catholic holy day, St. Patrick's Day has evolved into more of a secular holiday.

One traditional icon of the day is the shamrock. And this stems from a more bona fide Irish tale that tells how Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity. He used it in his sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast day.

The St. Patrick's Day custom came to America in 1737. That was the first year St. Patrick's Day was publicly celebrated in this country, in Boston.
Today, people celebrate the day with parades, wearing of the green, and drinking beer. One reason St. Patrick's Day might have become so popular is that it takes place just a few days before the first day of spring. One might say it has become the first green of spring.


Take the quiz below and test your Irish I.Q!

1. Some areas in Ireland are known to receive this many inches of rain each year, which accounts for the brilliantly green grass that has earned Ireland the nickname the "emerald isle":
Sixty inches
Seventy inches
Eighty inches
Ninety inches

2. "Erin Go Bragh," a phrase heard often on St. Patrick's Day, means:
I Love Ireland
Ireland Forever
Brave and Free
Ireland, My Home

3. Irish tradition says that anyone who kisses the blarney stone, which is located near this town, will be blessed with the Irish "gift of gab":
Dublin
Wexford
Cork
Waterford

4. This Nobel Prize-winning Irish poet and playwright was also a senator of the Irish Free State from 1922 to 1928:
George Bernard Shaw
James Joyce
Jonathan Swift
William Butler Yeats

5. This film, shot in Ireland in 1952, was directed by John Ford:
Ryan's Daughter
The Quiet Man
The Dead
The Informer

6. Traditional Irish music has found an international audience with the popularity of such Celtic bands as:
The Chieftains
The Lads
Shannon Rovers
Sweet Honey in the Rock

7. Today, the prime minister of the Republic of Ireland is:
Frank McCourt
Ian Dunkirk
Bertie Ahern
Gerry Adams

8. In November 1995, the people of Ireland narrowly passed a referendum legalizing:
Same-sex marriages
Abortion
Divorce
Marijuana

9. With 27,136 square miles of land, the Republic of Ireland is approximately half the size of this U.S. state:
Montana
California
Louisiana
Arkansas

10. Today, this number of Americans trace their ancestry back to Ireland:
Ten million
Twenty-five million
Forty million
Sixty-five million

The correct answers are in CAPS.
1. Some areas in Ireland are known to receive this many inches of rain each year, which accounts for the brilliantly green grass that has earned Ireland the nickname the "emerald isle":
1. Sixty inches
2. Seventy inches
3. Eighty inches
4. NINETY INCHES

2. "Erin Go Bragh," a phrase heard often on St. Patrick's Day, means:
1. I Love Ireland
2. IRELAND FOREVER
3. Brave and Free
4. Ireland, My Home

3. Irish tradition says that anyone who kisses the blarney stone, which is located near this town, will be blessed with the Irish "gift of gab":
1. Dublin
2. Wexford
3. CORK
4. Waterford

4. This Nobel Prize-winning Irish poet and playwright was also a senator of the Irish Free State from 1922 to 1928:
1. George Bernard Shaw
2. James Joyce
3. Jonathan Swift
4. WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS

5. This film, shot in Ireland in 1952, was directed by John Ford:
1. Ryan's Daughter
2. THE QUIET MAN
3. The Dead
4. The Informer

6. Traditional Irish music has found an international audience with the popularity of such Celtic bands as:
1. THE CHIEFTANS
2. The Lads
3. Shannon Rovers
4. Sweet Honey in the Rock

7. Today, the prime minister of the Republic of Ireland is:
1. Frank McCourt
2. Ian Dunkirk
3. BERTIE AHERN
4. Gerry Adams

8. In November 1995, the people of Ireland narrowly passed a referendum legalizing:
1. Same-sex marriages
2. Abortion
3. DIVORCE
4. Marijuana

9. With 27,136 square miles of land, the Republic of Ireland is approximately half the size of this U.S. state:
1. Montana
2. California
3. Louisiana
4. ARKANSAS

10. Today, this number of Americans trace their ancestry back to Ireland:
1. Ten million
2. Twenty-five million
3. FORTY MILLION
4. Sixty-five million


Irish Blessings:

May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

May you live as long as you want,
And never want as long as you live.

Always remember to forget
The things that made you sad.
But never forget to remember
The things that made you glad.
Always remember to forget
The friends that proved untrue.
But never forget to remember
Those that have stuck by you.
Always remember to forget
The troubles that passed away.
But never forget to remember
The blessings that come each day.

May the saddest day of your future be no worse
Than the happiest day of your past.

May the roof above us never fall in.
And may the friends gathered below it never fall out.

May you have warm words on a cold evening,
A full moon on a dark night,
And the road downhill all the way to your door.

May there be a generation of children
On the children of your children.

May you live to be a hundred years,
With one extra year to repent!

May the Lord keep you in His hand
And never close His fist too tight.

May your neighbors respect you,
Trouble neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And heaven accept you.

May the Irish hills caress you.
May her lakes and rivers bless you.
May the luck of the Irish enfold you.
May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.

May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light,
May good luck pursue you each morning and night.

Walls for the wind,
And a roof for the rain,
And drinks beside the fire -
Laughter to cheer you
And those you love near you,
And all that your heart may desire!

May God be with you and bless you,
May you see your children's children,
May you be poor in misfortune, rich in blessings.
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward.

May God grant you many years to live,
For sure He must be knowing
The earth has angels all too few
And heaven is overflowing.

May peace and plenty be the first
To lift the latch to your door,
And happiness be guided to your home
By the candle of Christmas.

May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.



Traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage

5 lbs. corned beef
1 large cabbage
bay leaf
2 large onions
cold water to cover
2 large carrots
ground black pepper
4 potatoes

Quarter the cabbage and put aside. Peel and slice the other vegetables. Cover meat with the water and bring to boil. Skim the surface, add the vegetables (except cabbage), bay leaf and pepper and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Add cabbage and cook for a further 30 minutes. Serve meat surrounded by vegetables with additional mashed potatoes


Regarding the little packet of spices that comes with it - I toss that right out. The beef doesn’t need it. And always rinse your beef well before cooking.

I usually use the round and not the brisket for my meals. We like the round better.


How about corning your own beef?

4 lb. fresh beef brisket
1/2 box pickling spices
3 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons saltpeter from your druggist
6 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper

Stab the brisket all over with an ice pick and place in a deep dish. Make a brine with all other ingredients. Pour over meat and add enough water to cover meat. Place a cover on the container and refrigerate for 14 days.
Turn meat every day and recover. After the 14th day, remove from brine and boil until tender. If you find a smaller brisket, use the same pickling mixture.


Corned Beef Hash with Poached Eggs

Hash:
2 cups roughly chopped boiled red-skinned potatoes
2 cups diced cooked corned beef
1/4 cup corned beef cooking liquid or chicken broth
1/2 medium yellow onion, grated
1/2 clove garlic, mashed with a fork
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Eggs:
4 cups cold water
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 large eggs

In a large bowl, mash 1 cup of the potatoes with a fork. Add the remaining potatoes, corned beef, cooking liquid, onion, garlic, mustard, parsley, thyme, and nutmeg. Season generously with pepper and mix well. Store in the refrigerator overnight or at least 3 hours.

Set up for poaching the eggs: Combine the water, vinegar, and salt in a large skillet and bring to a gentle simmer.

Preheat a large well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup of the butter and heat. When the foaming subsides, add the hash mixture and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Using a spatula, press the mixture down into a cake the size of the skillet. Cook, shaking the skillet occasionally, until the hash begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking, shaking the skillet to loosen the hash occasionally, until the underside is browned and crusty, about 6 minutes more.

To flip the hash, set a plate the size of the skillet on top of the pan. Invert the pan so the hash falls on to the plate as an intact cake. Invert the hash onto another plate, cooked-side up. Return the skillet to the medium-high heat; add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. When the foaming subsides, slide the hash into the skillet cooked-side up. Cook, shaking the skillet occasionally, for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, shaking the skillet occasionally, until the underside is browned and crispy, about 5 minutes more.

While the corned beef hash is cooking, crack an egg into a cup and carefully slide it into the hot poaching liquid. Quickly repeat with all the eggs. Poach the eggs, turning them occasionally with a spoon, until the whites are firm, or to the desired degree of doneness, about 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs and transfer to a kitchen towel. Lightly dab the eggs with the towel to remove any excess water.
Divide the hash among plates and top with the poached eggs. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings


Irish Roast Pork with Potato Stuffing

2 pounds pork tenderloin, or 6 to 8 boneless lean pork chops
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons hard cider (apple wine) or water
Salt and pepper

Stuffing
4 1/2 cups potatoes, coarsely mashed
1/4 cup butter
1 onion
2 large cooking apples, chopped
1 handful chopped fresh sage and thyme
Salt and pepper

Make stuffing: To potatoes, add butter, onion, apples, herbs, salt and pepper. Mix well. Rub meat with salt, pepper and butter. Pour cider or water into 3 -quart casserole dish. Place meat along edges of dish.

Cover loosely with foil and bake 1 hour at 350 degrees (F).


Irish Potato Casserole

10 medium potatoes, peeled
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. sour cream
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup chives
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Paprika

Cook potatoes in boiling water for approximately 30 min or until tender.
Drain and mash. Beat cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth. Add potatoes and remaining ingredients, except paprika; beat just until combined.
Spoon mixture into a lightly buttered 2 qt casserole; sprinkle with paprika.
Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove 15 min before baking.
Uncover and bake at 350* F. for 30 minutes.


Haggerty (Traditional Irish Dish)

3 medium potatoes
1 large onion
2 tablespoons bacon fat
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Wash and peel potatoes and cut into paper thin slices. Pat dry with towel. Cut onion into paper thin slices. Heat half of the bacon fat in a heavy frying pan and fill the pan with alternate layers of potatoes, onions, and cheese, finishing with potatoes. Sprinkle each layer with salt and pepper. Dot the final layer with remaining bacon fat. Cook over moderate heat until potatoes are almost tender. Turn the Haggerty carefully onto a plate and then carefully slide it back into the pan and continue cooking until done. To serve, cut into wedges and serve with a dollop of sour cream.


Slieve Na Mbam Carrots (Traditional Irish Dish)

12 young carrots
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

Trim and wash the carrots and halve lengthwise. Melt butter over medium heat. Add milk, season with salt and pepper. Add carrots and cook gently until just tender.
Remove from heat and stir in cream and beaten egg yolks.
Reheat but do not boil, stirring constantly until the eggs thicken.
Correct seasoning and add parsley.

NOTE: The reddish crest of Sleieve na mBan (The Mountain of Women in Ireland)
rising above the milk-white mist that forms there gives its name to this dish of cream-wreathed carrots.


Braised Celery (Irish)

1 head celery
1 medium onion
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
2 slices bacon
10 oz. stock
Salt and pepper to taste
1 oz. butter

Clean celery, cut into one-inch pieces and place in a casserole dish.
Finely chop bacon and onion and sprinkle over celery along with chopped parsley.
Pour on stock. Dot with knobs of butter. Cover dish and bake in a moderate oven for 30-45 minutes.


St. Patrick's Irish Whiskey Balls

3 1/2 cups vanilla wafer cookies, crushed
1 cup pecans, chopped very fine
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar, divided
1/3 cup Irish whiskey
3 tablespoons instant coffee powder
1/3 cup light corn syrup

Place the crushed cookies into a mixing bowl. Add the pecans and toss to combine. Pour 1 cupful of the sugar into the mixture and stir to combine well. Place the whiskey into a mixing bowl. Add the coffee powder and stir until completely dissolved. Pour the mixture into the cookie mixture. Add the corn syrup and blend the ingredients together well.

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Form the mixture into balls and place on the wax paper. Pour the remaining sugar into a shallow bowl. Roll the coffee balls through the sugar being sure to coat them well. Allow the balls to stand 15 minutes, then store in an airtight container.

These little whiskey balls become more flavorful the longer they set. Make them ahead of time and store them for 2 to 3 days to get the full flavor. You can give them more of a St. Patrick's Day look by rolling them in green tinted sugar crystals instead of the white confectioners' sugar.



Irish Bread

3 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cup buttermilk
Zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 whole egg
1 egg, separated
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup currants
2 tablespoons caraway seeds

Pre-heat oven to 400°F.
Soak currants for 3 minutes in tap water and drain well.
Sift first 3 ingredients in large bowl. Work butter in with hands. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients except one egg yolk, then add to dry ingredients. Grease an oven proof skillet with vegetable shortening. Spread dough in pan and top with beaten egg yolk. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until nicely browned. Remove immediately from pan when finished baking.


Irish Bannock

12 oz. plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 oz. caster sugar
4 oz. sultanas
1/2 pint buttermilk or sour milk
Caster sugar for dredging

Preheat the oven to 400*F./200*C/Gas Mark 6.

Sift flour, bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar into bowl; stir in sugar and sultanas.
Add milk and mix well to form a soft dough. Spread dough into a
well-greased 7 inch (18 cm) sandwich tin and bake 30 minutes.
Remove from tin and sprinkle caster sugar over top. Wrap bannock
in a clean tea cloth and leave on a wire rack to cool. Serve sliced with
butter.


Lucky Leprechaun Nibblers

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon of egg, well beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2-1/4 cups of confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon powdered egg whites
3 tablespoon water
4 drops green food coloring

Place butter into a mixing bowl. Add sugar and beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Place flour into a sifter. Add baking powder and salt. Sift ingredients into bowl with the butter mixture. Beat on low and mix until the dough is well blended.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Place a little flour on your hands and knead gently for 30 seconds. Shape dough into a round disk, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours. Remove chilled dough and allow to set at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350*F. Very lightly spray a cookie sheet. Sprinkle a little flour on a flat surface and on a rolling pin. Roll dough out to 1/4-inch thickness, turning dough as needed and adding flour to surface as needed to keep dough from sticking. Use a shamrock cookie cutter to cut dough.

Place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes or until they are just beginning to brown. Remove and allow to cool 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.

Place the confectioners' sugar into a mixing bowl. Add powered egg whites and toss to combine. Whisk water into mixture until the icing is smooth. Add food coloring and gently stir to color the icing. Ice cookies; allow icing to harden before serving.


Another Irish Soda Bread

1/2 cup sugar
4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
3 cups raisins
1 Tbsp. caraway seeds
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9" round cake pan with solid shortening and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour (reserving 1 tablespoon), sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, raisins and caraway seeds.

In a small bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk and sour cream and beat until smooth. Stir the liquid mixture into flour mixture just until flour is moistened. Knead dough in bowl about 10 to 12 times. The dough will be sticky.

Place the dough in the prepared pan and pat down. Cut a 4x3/4" deep slash in the top of the bread and dust with reserved flour. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 65 to 75 minutes; remove from pan and place on wire rack to cool.


Homemade Bailey's Irish Cream

1 pint half and half
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup Irish whiskey (Canadian Club works too)
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
Dash cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

In blender, combine all the ingredients. Blend until mixed well,
serve cold. Stores up to two weeks in the fridge.


Brownies with Irish Cream Icing

Brownies
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup flour

Topping
1/3 cup Irish Cream liqueur (such as Bailey's)
8 oz. white chocolate, chopped


Pre-heat oven to 325* F.

Line a 8" x 8" baking pan with aluminum foil , leaving at least 2 inches of foil overhanging on all sides (this will help you life the finished brownies out of the pan and eliminate messy pan clean-up). Set aside.

Melt chocolate and butter together in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Whisk sugar, vanilla and salt into chocolate mixture, followed by the eggs, one at a time. Continue whisking mixture until it is shiny and smooth. Add flour and whisk just until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan and level top.

Bake for about 35 minutes, or until cake tester comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Cool completely in pan.

Topping: Heat liqueur to a boil, remove from heat and whisk in white chocolate until it is completely melted and mixture is smooth.

Refrigerate until mixture becomes thick enough to spread, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Spread topping over brownies and refrigerate until cold. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. To cut, simply lift brownies, foil and all out of pan, peel off foil and cut!


Beer Cake - Crockpot

2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups beer
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins



Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time mix well. Add flour, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg to creamy mixture alternately with beer. Stir in walnuts and raisins. Pour mixture into well buttered and floured cake pan that will fit into crockpot. Cover tin with four or five paper towels. Put into pot. Put lid on crockpot loosely to allow steam to escape. Cook on high for 3 1/2 hours or until cake is done. Remove pan from pot and allow cake to cool on wire rack for 15 minutes before removing from pan.



Irish Steamed Raisin Pudding with Irish Whiskey Sauce

1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups dark raisins, chopped
1 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1 cup grated suet
Boiling water
Irish Whiskey Sauce, below

In top of double boiler, over hot water, heat the milk and the
chopped raisins 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, sift flour with baking powder, sugar, salt, nutmeg, and
cinnamon; set aside.

In large bowl, with rotary beater, beat eggs until light. Beat in
crumbs until well mixed. Beat in suet.

With wooden spoon, beat dry ingredients into egg mixture alternately
with milk mixture, beating until well combined.

Turn into lightly greased 2-quart pudding mold; cover tightly. Place
on trivet in large kettle; add enough boiling water to come half way
up side of mold.

Steam (water in kettle should be simmering), with kettle covered,
2 hours.

Meanwhile, make Irish-Whisky Sauce.

Remove pudding from water; let stand about 5 minutes.

Turn out of mold. Serve warm, with sauce.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Irish Whiskey Sauce:

1/4 cup soft butter or margarine
2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
1 cup light cream
Dash nutmeg
1/4 cup Irish whiskey

In top of double boiler, with portable electric mixture at medium
speed, beat butter with sugar until light and creamy.

Beat in egg, cream, and nutmeg; beat until mixture is fluffy.

Cook, stirring occasionally, over hot but not boiling, water until
the mixture is thickened.

Remove from heat. Gradually stir in whiskey.

Serve warm or cold, with pudding.

Makes 2 1/2 cups.


If there is a recipe you want - drop me a line - I've got many St. Patrick's Day/Irish recipes to share.